Soldiers Like Us
by astric
Summary: "Give him a chance.  He may surprise you."  Commander Shepard takes some of her own advice and finds Jacob Taylor is just what she needs.  Zero prize jokes contained herein.  Okay, maybe just one.
1. Chapter 1

_Jacob Taylor x Spacer Fem!Shep_

_I wanted to write a story that fills in the time period after the Suicide Mission up through Arrival and adds some much needed substance to the Jacob romance arc. This is it._

_Fluff, drama, more fluff, humor (?) with some sexitimez for good measure._

_Rated M for later creative uses of mass effect fields ;)_

Drea Shepard stepped out of the shower and looked at her reflection in the mirror, frowning as water ran down her slim toned body in rivulets and pooled on the floor. The puddles had already begun to shrink as they were sucked in through invisible micro-pores built into the bathroom's flooring.

Nothing was wasted on a starship. Drea wiggled her toes feeling the automatic sub-floor heating system kick in.

Cerberus had spared no expense to make sure she was comfortable. And now they were short exactly one Commander and one starship, sub-floor heating included. Maybe they should have spent less time stocking her cabin with thousand-thread-count sheets and more with improving their ethical standards. Drea would have been happier crammed in a stale sleeper pod on the most outdated Alliance frigate than this luxury liner any day.

Continuing to peer at her reflection, she tilted her head to the side and ran her fingers across her cheek and down her neck. All traces of scarring from her initial surgery were gone. She could hardly believe the complex interweaving of flesh and machine that lay just below the surface. She had quickly learned to adapt to her increased strength and perception. To the average person she would always seem a little too fast or a little too strong to be natural, her eyes perhaps a little too bright. In her favor, she was used to standing out. Biotics and a shock of platinum blond hair coupled with exceedingly light grey-blue eyes had inured her to being the subject of attention at a young age. You could say she was born to stand out.

Drea finished up in the bathroom, and padded out to the main cabin. It was sparse even for her spartan tastes, as she had never really felt comfortable settling in on the Cerberus vessel. An empty fish tank hummed away on the side wall. She liked it despite its lack of fishy occupants. The dim blue glow it gave off was a nice alternative to the harsh overhead spotlights and stark white lamps that otherwise lit the room. Her desk was devoid of any ornamentation, and next to an unused couch was her bed, perfectly fluffed and folded, as it always was. A lifetime of habit was hard to forget, and she was military from the day she was born to Alliance Navy officer Hannah Shepard.

Drea tapped in a few commands to her wardrobe console, and after a few moments of clicks and whirs from within, the door next to it slid open to reveal three compartments of varying sizes, respectively containing a dress, heels, and a bracelet. She laid the outfit out on the bed and closed the console.

Cerberus had spared no expense to stock her wardrobe with armor and clothing to fit any and every possible situation, no matter how unlikely she thought it necessary. She had scoffed at the lacy negligees and sky high heels, and stared in shock at jewelry that probably cost more than her yearly salary as an Alliance Commander. Now that she was no longer under the employ of Cerberus and the Illusive Man, she had actually found use for some of it, and it gave her no small amount of smug satisfaction at the irony.

Drea stretched the dress over her head and shimmied it down over her body. It was sexy she thought, without being trashy, and dressy without being too dressy. Off-white, and made of a stretchy cashmere-like material, it was a simple sleeveless sheath that hugged her hips and ended just above the knee. She tugged at the silky soft fabric, smoothing it around her curves. Satisfied, she slipped on a pair of matching strappy heels and the silver bracelet.

She usually preferred her jeans and t-shirts, but it was fun having an excuse to wear something sexy and feminine. It was a nice change from having to armor up in full kit on a day to day basis. After the year she'd just had, she didn't want to see the inside of a hardsuit for at least a month; though she'd probably settle for a week. Actually, if she could just get through that night, it might be a miracle.

Shep pulled up her omnitool. The sun would be just setting when they docked on Illium in thirty minutes.

…

_10 hours earlier_

Jacob poked absently at the nutrient bar sitting in front of him. The Normandy's food supplies had dwindled to a depressing state, and their cook had been notably absent from duty since they had returned from the Omega-4 relay to Terminus space not two days prior. He didn't begrudge the crew a nice long break from duty after that, but he would kill for a hamburger.

He had the high metabolism shared by all biotics, and a nutrient bar and some stale coffee just wasn't cutting it. He wondered how Shepard was doing. Despite her slender frame, she could easily out eat him in a sitting. Jacob didn't find it surprising considering the amount of energy she was able to put out. Even among Alliance biotic Special Forces, he rarely saw some of the more powerful techniques she employed in combat.

He took the time to enjoy the quiet. Occasionally a crew member would pass through and exchange nods of greeting. Taking one last bite of the bar, he chucked it in the trash and went back to the armory.

Since completing the mission through the Omega-4, the ship had become a lot more relaxed. Shepard had cleared the docket for the month and removed all dress code regulations and work schedules, save for vital ship functions.

He figured cutting ties with Cerberus also had something to do with it. They really were a civilian ship now, no question. Drea seemed to be embracing it while it lasted, and the crew seemed to be enjoying their new found freedom. Shep had even let Jack spray paint the hold. "As pirate as it's ever gonna get," she had told her handing her a can.

Taking a bench in the armory, Jacob shrugged off his jacket and pulled up the day's news feeds on his omnitool. He settled back and expanded the display in front of him. He wasn't really sure what to do with himself now that the mission was complete. Months spent with one singular goal in mind, unending preparation and planning, and now it was done. He felt in limbo, in more ways than one.

Foremost in his thoughts was the Commander. Shepard. Drea.

They hadn't had the chance to sit down and talk in the few days since coming back. And before that, well.

They had slept together. It was one night, and they hadn't exactly spent it talking about a future together. He had told her that he loved her, and he was kicking himself a little for it now.

He did, she was amazing.

But maybe it had been a little too serious and too soon for him to let slip. Emotions were high the moment it had been spoken, but now he had nothing but time to think it over. He was obsessing over every look, every word, and every gesture, and it was not in his nature to dwell.

They were in a murky relationship area with a lot of implied intentions and unspoken feelings. He thought he knew how she felt, but at the same time lacked any tangible proof to reassure himself they were on the same page. It left him restless.

He hoped he would get some resolution soon. Shepard had spent most of the first two days back dealing with ship issues and what to do with the crew—general tying up of loose ends. There had been no chance for them to be alone, and he didn't begrudge her wanting to sleep and recharge by herself so soon after they got back.

Jacob scanned through his private message log from the past seventy-two hours, filtered by sender, Drea Shepard.

_::Save me! Miranda's already trying to debrief me on scenarios for possible retaliation from the illusive man. I haven't even taken my boots off!_

_::Hey, meet you in the mess for lunch?_

_::Need sleep. Miss your voice. _

_::When we get to Illium, everyone's on their own until further notice. You and I shall take some time, lol. Hope you have your drinking hat ready._

_::There's a great little place called Surana's in Nos Astra that Liara told me I have to check out. I thought maybe we could head there first, if it's alright with you. There are a few bars in the same strip we can check out afterwards. _

_::Finally, I get you all to myself! Also, I'm dying for some real food, what the hell happened to Gardner? I haven't seen him since we got back. The ship's not that big. WTH?_

Jacob counted the hours until he would have Drea to himself, away from the ship and the crew.

He was bored as hell the rest of the day, and spent an inordinate amount of time deciding what to wear that night. He felt ridiculous getting all worked up over this "date" with Shepard. She always did know how to push his buttons, even when she wasn't trying. He couldn't remember the last time a woman had made him nervous.

They were five minutes out from Nos Astra when Shepard pinged him with a message.

_Ready to get off this boat? Meet you on the crew deck in twenty._

…

Jacob leaned against a table waiting for Shep, trying to act casual. His jaw about dropped when she finally rounded the corner.

Drea walked up to him and placed her hands on his shoulders. "You look good out of uniform, Taylor," she said appreciatively.

"You look amazing," he said.

She leaned in for a kiss and he pulled her in closer by the hips. She settled her weight against him as he braced on the table and they continued to lock lips.

They separated for air, reluctantly, lips still grazing, and Drea gave him one last nibble.

"We'll never leave at this rate," she said, nuzzling his neck.

They were interrupted by the sound of someone clearing their throat, coming from the direction of the kitchen.

Shepard stepped away from Jacob and smoothed out her dress as they both stood up. Turning towards the source of the disruption, they saw Gardner standing by the mess lockers holding a cylinder of sugar.

Drea raised an eyebrow.

"Commander. I was just-" he started before being interrupted by a familiar grizzled voice.

Zaeed had sauntered in from around the corner.

"Me and ol' Gardner here set up a still in the starboard cargo. Best 'shine in the 'verse. Picked the recipe up off a batarian raider, well his corpse anyways..."

Shepard held up her hand in protest, "Just don't set the ship on fire while I'm gone."

"You ready to get out of here?" she asked Jacob.

"Definitely."

...


	2. Chapter 2

Drea wrapped her arm around Jacob's as they walked along the promenade of the Nos Astra trading floor.

"You didn't want to invite anyone else out?" he asked while they waited for a taxi.

"Of course not," she said and laughed. "They're a good crew. That doesn't mean I want to have a beer with any of those crazy assholes."

"Besides," she continued, "I'd like to avoid the exchange of gunfire, just for one night." She looked at him with overly dramatic puppy-dog eyes and gestured with her pointer finger, "Just one night," she pouted.

"With this bunch, you never know, huh," he said.

Their taxi arrived and shuttled them to the lower reaches of Nos Astra and their first stop: dinner.

…

They exited into the crisp night air of Nos Astra several hours later, full and satisfied.

"Everything's so clean here," Drea exclaimed, "It's unnatural."

They walked along the street arm-in-arm with no sense of urgency, the glowing neon signs of Nos Astra's lower city lighting their faces as they passed under.

"You'd rather be somewhere else?" he asked.

"I don't know," she said, "It's kind of nice not having to go anywhere. Don't get me wrong," she said stopping to gaze out over the glittering skyline, "it is beautiful."

"But it's not home," he offered.

"No," she said.

"So where is home?" he asked her.

"I don't know yet," she said with a smile. "What about you?"

"Good question," he stated.

"You can take the kid out of the Alliance, huh? Except neither of us ever really left."

Drea continued to look wistfully out over the purple tinged Illium skyline. "Someday this will all be over, and we'll have to start thinking about building a real life, somewhere with roots."

"Or we'll all be dead," she added glibly. "Buy me a drink?"

The pair continued their way down the walkway enjoying the anonymity. Jacob didn't know if he'd ever get used to all the people Shepard seemed to attract.

She stopped in front of a low-key looking entrance that consisted only of a solid black door under a flickering blue neon sign written in asari. Shep scanned it with her omnitool and got the translation "the blue bite."

"Dubious. Yet intriguing," Shep said to Jacob with a glint in her eye. "Let's go in."

Through the haze Drea could see a circular center bar surrounded by scattered tables. A small dance floor at the far end was where the majority of the bar's occupants were gathered, mostly asari, about an equal number of humans, and a handful of other species.

The music, a pulsating hypnotic beat drifted through the air, in time with the strobing blue and white lights.

They ordered drinks from a nonplussed looking asari and sat down at a quiet table in the back.

"Here's to dead Collectors," Drea toasted.

"To finally getting to sleep in," Jacob countered.

"To having a _reason_ to sleep in," Drea said back with a wink.

She took a long drink from her glass, then swirled its contents gazing into the bottom. "It isn't over. It's never over," she said grimly.

"Yeah, some heavy stuff on the horizon…" he trailed off. "But some day it has to end, like you said. And right now, it's just Jacob and Dre, out having some drinks. No worries." He reached across the table and took her hands in his.

"I wish it was that easy to forget," she sighed.

"But you're right. I can't sit and worry twenty-four hours a day." She forced her mind back to the present, the dull reverberating bass of the bar and din of voices surrounding her.

She let the alcohol do its job, and sat back in her seat and relaxed, enjoying the feel of the music reverberating through her body.

Shep picked up their empty glasses before Jacob could protest and went back to the bar, returning with a bottle and two shot glasses.

"I'm done playing around, Taylor."

"You're on," he said.

Shep poured each glass to the brim. They clinked glasses and threw them back.

"Okay, I'm curious," Drea began.

"Should I be scared?" Jacob said and laughed.

"What's your favorite color?"

"Really?" he thought about it for a moment. "Green. I guess."

"I'm kidding," she said filling their glasses again. "Bottoms up," she said tapping his glass over to him.

"Okay. I have a serious question for you. What are you going to do now that the mission is over?"

"I hadn't really thought about it. I guess I thought I'd stick around and see what happened. I," he hesitated before continuing. "I want to stay with you."

Jacob cleared his throat, trying not to stumble on his words, "I mean, if that's what you want."

Shepard smiled at him. "Jacob, I feel like I should make things perfectly clear between us. I don't want you to go anywhere."

Drea was starting to feel the effects of those first two shots hit her.

She started laughing to herself softly. Jacob looked at her, waiting to see if she was going to let him in on the joke.

"You know one of the things I love about you," she began, "you remind me of the guys I used to hang out with in the Alliance. It's," she searched for the right word, "I don't know: Comforting. Familiar."

She absently tugged on the collar of her dress, definitely starting to feel the effects of the alcohol.

"I miss being around normal people. I miss being normal." She laughed, "Normal-er."

"You like me," he furrowed his brow, "because I'm normal?"

"That's not the only reason of course."

"I have a confession for you, Dre. I didn't know what to expect from you when we first met, and you ended up surprising the hell out of me. I read the reports on you. I didn't think you'd spend two minutes on me. But here you are. And just another Navy brat following the family tradition. _Carrying on the torch_."

Jacob picked up the bottle and lifted it to the light to examine the liquid line. He filled their glasses again.

"One thing though," he slid her glass over to her, "You're way too cute to be N7. That's all I'm sayin'."

"Ha," she laughed. "And then I slap a singularity on your ass!"

"I'll drink to that," he said and they drained their glasses.

Jacob watched Drea from across the table trying to memorize her face. He couldn't remember the last time he had seen her smile or laugh like she was now, if ever. For a few moments at least, it really felt like they were just two soldiers out for drinks, without the crushing weight of knowledge clouding their thoughts. She seemed free.

Drea's laughter trailed off and she smiled at Jacob with genuine warmth in her eyes.

"What would I do without you, ?" she said.

"Knowing you, you'd be fine. And you'd look good doing it. Make it look easy."

"Yeah, but I'd be much grumpier with the crew."

"Lucky for them, then."

"Lucky for me," she smiled.

"You dance?" he asked.

"Hell yeah," she replied, her voice thick with alcohol.

"Really?" Jacob said in surprise.

"I partied my share back in the corps," she rebuffed.

He smiled knowingly. "Hannah Shepard's daughter, getting into all kinds of trouble."

Shep stood up and held out her hand. "Come on."

…

They started moving together to the music, tentatively, trying to lock into each other's groove.

"You're a terrible dancer, Shep," Jacob said.

"You really know how to sweet talk a lady, Jake," Shep said with a smirk. "A few more drinks and you won't care!" she laughed.

The beat slowed as the music transitioned to a slower tempo. Jacob pulled Drea close to him, placing his hands on her waist and moving them in time together.

"I don't care," he said, "Trust me, no one's watching how you dance."

Drea dropped her eyes, feeling her pulse quicken. She was very aware of the heat of his body pressing against her. Close enough to smell the masculine fresh scent of his skin and feel every firm muscle of his body that was in contact with her, and strong arms around her waist that could lift her up effortlessly.

She felt heat rising in her cheeks.

"You are the most gorgeous woman in here," he said.

Drea felt Jacob's body tense and she immediately pulled away and went into alert mode. She saw him scanning the area behind her.

"What is it?" she asked.

"I don't know," he said.

Then shots rang out.

…


	3. Chapter 3

Before she could react, Drea felt Jacob pulling her down to the ground. The music had stopped abruptly and the people around them were in chaos.

She stumbled trying to gather her bearings as he pulled them closer to the bar for cover.

"…god damn it," Drea mumbled under her breath. "...drunk _and_ in heels. This is bullshit," she continued to grumble, more to herself than anyone else. "How are you so collected?" she hissed at Jacob under her breath.

He motioned for her to be quiet, as the attention of the room focused on a group near the front bar by the entrance.

Drea strained to hear what was happening "…kill everyone in here. You think I…"

"Well, for once the trouble has nothing to do with you," Jacob whispered. Drea rolled her eyes.

"Do you have a sidearm?" she asked.

"No!" he said a little too loudly before checking himself. "You usually bring guns out for dinner? Don't answer that."

"Of course not—" Drea stopped abruptly, seeing a commotion near the front bar.

She struggled to stay focused, but the alcohol in her system was making it difficult.

"Can you get a lock on how many there are?" Drea asked straining to see what was happening. Most of the bar's patrons were down low to the ground, same as them, trying to avoid attention.

Jacob scanned over the room, counting those standing and armed.

"Four, five, tops," he answered. "Wh—"

Before he could get another word out, the apparent leader of the group snatched a bystander, shooting her point blank in the head and dropping her lifeless body carelessly to the side.

Drea felt her barrier flare up involuntarily. Jacob swore under his breath as the area around them lit up with a flash, sending those around them scattering away. She clenched her teeth in frustration. Stress and intoxication were making her biotics erratic. Momentarily she closed her eyes, grabbing on to Jacob's arm for balance, and the flickers of energy around her died away.

"Did they notice?" she asked.

Jacob shook his head, "They seem too preoccupied."

Drea looked at the lifeless body on the floor several meters away.

"We have to do something," she whispered.

Jacob didn't respond at first, drawing his lips into a hard line. "Damn it."

Simultaneously they each threw up biotic barriers that blanketed the surface of their bodies in flickering shields. Drea motioned to her targets, indicated her direction, and motioned him to cover her.

She yelled out a warning before she rose up out of cover and shot her hand forward towards the leader of the group. He was in the middle of turning towards her when he was trapped in a biotic stasis, immobilized in a churning sphere of energy.

"Everyone stay down!"

As she ducked back under cover, Jacob's arm shot out towards the two closest, sending them skidding backwards before they could bring up their guns.

One more gunman remained to their right, who managed to get a few shots off which were absorbed harmlessly into Jacob's barrier as he went into a crouch behind Shepard.

"Stasis is going to wear off soon. The crowd's scattered enough for you to pull-field the group so I can hit 'em with a warp," Shepard said tersely. She hoped the explosion of clashing mass effect fields would be enough to take out the entire group, without any collateral damage. She didn't see that they had much choice without guns. What was she going to do, try to hit them out of the air with a bar stool?

The two that Jacob had tossed back earlier had recovered and were lining up shots, allowing the stray gunman to their right to flank them around the circular bar.

"Damn. I've got these two, you take out the loner," Shepard directed.

"Got it," Jacob said turning back around.

Behind him, he heard Shepard throw a chair towards her two targets, smashing it against the floor. She was struggling for control.

Jacob saw his target creeping around the bar. Using the majority of his remaining energy, he clenched his fist into a ball and imagined throwing it straight out towards the approaching man. A flicker of blue light passed across his features before the man was pushed by a blast of energy and thrown into the back wall. His body hit with a dull thud and dropped to the floor. Jacob watched for a moment to ensure there was no movement before turning back towards Shepard.

He turned back in time to see one of the gunmen lining up a shot on Shepard as she held his companion in stasis. Her barrier was flickering in and out, flaring erratically, and her white dress had ripped straight up the side.

Gathering what energy he had left, Jacob pushed his arm out in a fist and pulled back, only managing to stagger his target, but sending the intended shot errant and into the ceiling.

They both slumped behind cover, exhausted.

"I'm tapped out," Jacob said with a strained voice, sweat beading on his forehead.

"I got this," Shepard said taking a deep breath. She steadied herself for a moment visualizing the location of her targets before popping up and raising both hands into the air in front of her in a lifting motion. The three remaining men lifted into the air with the motion of her hands before slamming into the ground, incapacitated, as she balled her hands into fists and violently pulled down.

Seeing the three lifeless bodies on the floor, Drea fell forward and braced her hands on the bar, breathing heavily.

Jacob stood up and took her under his arm. Those still in the bar warily assessed the room and slowly began to trickle out the front door.

"You think we should wait for the cops?" Jacob asked.

"In case you hadn't noticed, I've had a pretty spotty record with law enforcement-types this last year."

"Right. Let's get the hell out of here."

"I'm still drunk, damn it," Shepard groused as they melted into the dispersing crowd and made their way back to the Normandy, with Shepard clutching together the remains of her dress.

…

The ship was still practically deserted when the two came on board looking like death warmed over. They passed through the CIC and took the lift up to Shepard's cabin.

"What do you think that was all about?" Drea asked slipping off her scuffed heels and dumping them in the trash bin.

"Who knows? Small time thugs; Personal vendetta; Drug deal gone bad. Illium might look clean on the surface, but it isn't any better than Omega. Whatever it was, one thing's for sure: never a dull moment with you, Shep. Trouble seems to go out of its way to find you." He shook his head, smiling.

"Some needs to send trouble a memo. I'm tired of your shit, love Dre," she said dryly. She walked over to where Jacob was sprawled out on the couch, bent over and gave him a kiss on the forehead. "You're staying here tonight, right?"

"I don't think I'd make it down to the crew deck," he responded, stretching his neck back and forth. "You'd probably find me in the morning, passed out in the elevator."

"Good," Drea said, taking a seat next to him on the couch and resting her head on his shoulder. "Everything's going according to plan."

Jacob laughed. "What plan is this?"

"I had this whole nefarious plan worked out to incapacitate you and keep you here in my cabin as my personal muscle and love slave."

"You know, you could have just asked."

"You mean I ruined this dress for no reason?" She fingered at the torn fabric of her skirt.

Jacob looked down to see the soft fabric ripped straight up to the waist and split open over her leg, revealing a smooth milky thigh and just a peek of sheer black lace undies.

"I don't mind the view."

Drea smirked and squeezed his hand, her eyes growing heavy.

"Not a bad first date," he said.

"Right," she said sarcastically. "Last time I used my biotics that drunk was at a graduation party for G1 BTPE*. I was sixteen and Cassie Torres dared me to chug a pint without using my hands. That actually sounds a lot lamer when you say it out loud." Drea yawned.

"I can't say I'd recommend doing it again," Jacob said. He watched the empty humming fish tank on the opposite wall with glazed eyes for several minutes before he heard Drea softly snoring.

Gently, he lifted her and carried her over to the bed, tucking her in under the covers.

He kicked off his boots and threw his jacket over the chair and climbed in behind her. He hadn't turned out the lights before he was asleep with Drea spooned against him tucked under his arm.

…

The next morning Drea woke to the sound of the shower running. She pulled her dress over her head and quietly entered the bathroom, sneaking into the shower behind Jacob.

He smiled when he felt her hands go around him.

"Morning," he said.

"I feel like I got hit by a bus last night," she said hoarsely, her face pressed into his back.

He turned around blocking the spray of water. She judged his mood by the rather ample part of his anatomy pressed up against her stomach.

He leaned in towards her, kissing her on the lips with soft and gentle pressure. Drea parted her lips slightly, kissing him deeper.

He pulled away reluctantly, his hands still cradling the base of her head. "Need a distraction?" he asked his voice rough.

"Mmm." She nodded, and his hands trailed down her back to cup her ass.

They continued to kiss in the steam of the shower as the hot water ran down their bodies.

…

Drea stepped out of the bathroom and heard the ship's comm system beeping an alert. She pulled on a satin robe and verbally acknowledged the ship's VI.

"Go ahead, EDI."

EDI's spherical glowing form popped up on the interface by the door. "Urgent message from Admiral Hackett. Should I schedule a call, Commander Shepard?"

"Yes. Send a message scheduling a video conference in 0100 hours. I'll take it here in my cabin. Let me know when it's confirmed."

"Of course, Shepard."

"Thank you, EDI," Drea said, and the VI blinked off.

"Wonder what that's all about?" Jacob asked from his seat on the bed. He pulled on a boot and began to tighten the laces.

"I guess we'll find out," Shepard said furrowing her brow.

Jacob stood and walked over to Shepard.

"You don't have to go," she said.

"It's okay. I have things to take care of and I should probably change," he said wrinkling his nose. "Call me when it's done." He kissed her on the forehead and left out the door. She watched as he disappeared into the lift.

…

Jacob re-entered Shepard's cabin several hours later to find her standing in front of her desk.

"Recall the crew. We leave for Bahak ASAP."

Miranda's voice came through the communicator, tinny and distant. "Of course, Commander."

Drea closed the channel and turned to Jacob.

"So much for a break," he said, observing the grim set of her features.

Drea frowned. "I have a bad feeling about this."

...

*Footnote: Grade I BTPE = Grade One Biotic Training for Pre-Enlistees


End file.
